Brother Beloved
by Obsiquious Sadist
Summary: PG13 to be safe... It's about Duo's sister... I he had one... which he doesn't... yeah.... I stink at summaries, so just read, okay? Review, too, if your not in a terrible rush!
1. Goodbye

Hello, People! Hopefully this fic is as good as people have told me! It's told from the POV of Duo's sister… if he had a sister, anyway. It might seem a little hard to follow at first, but just bear with me people, okay? Oh… and I don't own GW, so don't sue me! However, I do own Kaitlyn/Alexis. So don't steal her!!!!!! So… without any further ado… on with chapter 1!  
  
  
  
I listened to the quote- unquote sad part of "Puff the Magic Dragon" play on my mother's old eight-track player.  
  
This isn't sad, I thought. I didn't really like the song. Never did. It never seemed… right to me. No, "right" isn't the right word. The song just never made sense to me. What did it mean? I sighed, stopping the eight-track player, rewinding it, and started from the beginning of the "sad" part again, hoping to find what I was looking for.  
  
"A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys.  
  
Painted wings and giant's rings make way for other toys  
  
One grey night it happened, Jacky Baper came no more  
  
And Puff that mighty dragon, he siesed his fearless roar.  
  
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain  
  
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane  
  
Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave  
  
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave..."  
  
I sighed again. It didn't make sense.  
  
"I don't get it..." I mumbled to myself, strumming my fingers on the plush carpet. Frustration filled every ounce of my body.  
  
Annoyed, I stood up, kicked the eight-track player over, and yelled "THIS TUPID SONG DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!!!! I HAS NO MEAINING!!!!!"  
  
"Ya know, kid, sometimes a song is just a song," came the ever annoying voice of me brother from behind me. I turned, glaring at him in the eye. "Just like Ring Around the Rosie!"  
  
"Duo, Ring Around the Rosie is about the plague," I retorted.  
  
"Alright, then, like the 'Hockey Pokey'!" He said, remaining his usual half- wit self. Shaking my head, I sighed and sat back on the floor.  
  
"I never liked that song. For two reasons: One, because of that X- Files episode," (AN- Hi, Becca!) Duo rolled his eyes. "And two, well, what if that's what it IS all about?" I was weird like that.  
  
"Don't be so wishy-washy," Duo said scornfully. He crouched beside me to put the eight-track player up right. He ejected the tape, looked at it for a moment, and put it backing the player.  
  
"Come on," he said, standing up, "Dinner's ready." Dou walked out of the room, his long, chestnut hair swishing behind him.  
  
I gazed blankly at the eight-track player, idly twiddling my hair around my fingers. After a few moments' time, I got up and followed after my brother.  
  
___________  
  
"Goulash!" I cried, eyeing the meat mixture. My mother made the best goulash in the world. Taking my seat at the table, I helped myself to the moist, tender beef; flavorful, seasoned veggies; and aldante noodles.  
  
Just as I picked up my fork, the doorbell rang. Annoyed that her perfect meal had been interrupted, my mother rose from her seat to see who was calling.  
  
Muffled voices came from the entrance hall. Then without warning, Mother's voice erupted in a terrified manner.  
  
"I tell you, he's not here! Why won't you believe me?! Can't you just leave us in peace?!"  
  
Unannounced, three soldiers came into the kitchen, guns out. Duo rose immediately, his face an angry red.  
  
"Where is your father?" demanded one of the soldiers.  
  
"Not here, as you can plainly see," Duo retorted, somehow managing to sound three times his age. Sensing impending danger, I stood up and moved beside my older brother. Whether I intended to allow him protect me, or I him, I wasn't sure.  
  
"I didn't ask where he's NOT!" the soldier fumed, "I asked where he IS!"  
  
"Tell us, or we'll arrest you all for withholding information, and interfering with an investigation!" Another soldier shouted.  
  
"You wouldn't dare," Duo growled in defense. I had never seen my brother like this before.  
  
"Yes, we would!" the first soldier spat. "Now tell us, where is he?!"  
  
"We don't know." I said, praying I sounded braver and calmer than I felt. I must have caught the soldiers off guard because they just stared at me odd for a moment. Then, the second soldier spoke.  
  
"What did you just say?" His worlds were slow, fierce, like a tiger brandishing his claws before attacking its prey.  
  
"I said we don't know where Father is. We only know that he isn't here," That was a lie. I knew it was. Mother knew it was. Duo knew it was. I just hoped the soldiers didn't know what we did.  
  
The first soldier gave me a speculative glare, "Are you sure you don't know where your father is?" He was eyeing Duo, but I was certain he was addressing me.  
  
I suppressed the want to take a deep breath before answering, knowing that if I did, it might make the soldiers aware of my vulnerability. "Yes," I replied. Another lie. Or would it be the same one as before? The soldier's eyes narrowed into an evil squint, but he nodded and left the room. The other two followed his example. When I heard the door click behind them, I allowed myself to take a ragged breath. Swallowing a wail and blinking back tears, I left the yellow kitchen for my bedroom.  
  
______  
  
I lay awake in my dark room on my back. My bed was soft, and my pillow deep, but still rest would not come, and Morphius refused to sweep me away in his arms.  
  
It was a cold night, but beads of sweat persistently dampened my face, as if trying vainly to wake me from this living nightmare.  
  
The muffled voices of my parents reached my ears from their room down the hall. I heard then, but did not listen, but instead allowed my own deep interpretation to echo through my skull. There was to be a war. Or was there already? My father could have killed us. We are hiding, and don't like it. Or lives are in constant danger. Something must be done. Duo and I must not be harmed. But aren't we already? Is this truly a child's life? Well, we are children, and we are alive. But are we still considered children? And are we still living? Can this truly be considered living? No, this is not the life of a child. And we are no longer children.  
  
Slowly, I drew in a deep breath of the cool air that surrounded me. I wanted to cry. But I couldn't. For my family's sake, and for my own.  
  
________________________  
  
I awoke early the next morning, as I was doing more frequently now. I entered the kitchen to find cold, uneaten plates of goulash spread upon the table. Small bits had been nibbled at by surviving mice.  
  
'Lucky devils', I thought, 'you don't have to deal with this war. But then I noticed something. There was a neon- yellow sticky note plastered to the window over the kitchen sink.  
  
Slowly I walked over to it, and plied it from the glass. My eyes grazed over the writing that was unmistakably my brother's.  
  
I can't stay here anymore.  
  
I have to something  
  
to help you all. I know I  
  
can help save the colonies.  
  
I love you all.  
  
- Duo  
  
Well, that's it! Hope you like it! Just incase you're wondering, Hungarian Goulash is beef or veal cooked in tomatoey- gravy stuff, and served with veggies and noodles or rice. Plus, Morphuis, in the content that it is used is the Greek God of sleep and rest.  
  
R&R please!!!!!!! If you do, I will give you... a Hershey's Kiss!!!! 


	2. Leaving Home

Hey, People! Sorry it took kind of long to get this up! Thank you so much to the only person who reviewed my story. And, yes, I did know that "Puff the Magic Dragon" is about pot, Kaitlyn just didn't know that. And, no, I am not my characters, though sometimes my personality tends to slide in every now and then. ^_^;;; Just a standard disclaimer that I'm only going to say once again after this in this story: I don't own GW. I am not making any money off of this. Oh, and I really don't care that much if people don't like this story. I already have a lot of it written out, and I just have to type it...... On that note..... On with chapter 2!!!!!!  
  
  
  
(One year later)  
  
I heard shouting coming from the kitchen. I thought it was just my parents arguing about some trivial manner, as all humans do, but then I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs.  
  
"Kaitlyn, RUN!!!!" my mother shouted shrilly from downstairs. A soldier burst into my room. My eyes went wide as he pointed his gun at me.  
  
Acting purely on adrenalin, I leapt from my chair, grabbed my bag, and threw myself out o the open window. Barely managing to grab hold of a branch, I scurried around to the other side of the oak to hide for safety. Through heavily leaved branches, I saw the soldier poke his head out the window.  
  
"She's gone!" He called to his comrades after a quick look around at the exterior of my home.  
  
I remained clinging for dear life to the firm branches for a while until I heard the sound of the military jeep pulling away out of our driveway. Cautiously, I slid down the trunk to land softly on my feet.  
  
For a tense moment I crouched at the base of the tree, hidden by the shrubs, looking and listening with every nerve in my body for any hostile movement.  
  
Nothing.  
  
I opened my bag and took out my trench coat and long, black leather boots. Exchanging those for my sweater and sandals, I kept as quiet as possible. Any noise might alert a waiting soldier.  
  
Standing straight up with the best posture I could manage, I walked calmly to the sidewalk, all the while fingering the fake ID in my pocket.  
  
_________________  
  
I looked at my watch. 8:30. The next flight for Earth left in 1 hour. I had made it so far from my house to the spaceport without being caught. All I had to do now was buy the ticket and board the shuttle.  
  
Hoping with all my might that I looked older than I was, I stood up and walked over to the ticket counter. The woman behind the desk looked up. "Can I help you?" She asked.  
  
Yes, I'd like a one-way ticket to Earth, please, on the next flight out," I told her, praying silently that I didn't resemble Kaitlyn Maxwell.  
  
"First class, or coach?"  
  
"Coach," I said automatically.  
  
The woman brushed some bleach-blonde hair out of her eyes before turning to a computer and typing something in. She then turned to me and asked for some identification. I handed her the fake ID (God bless the black market!), hoping nothing would go wrong. The woman looked it over, blinked twice, and the spoke to me.  
  
"Have we met? You look familiar."  
  
My heart sank to my toes and rose to my throat with each beat.  
  
"I'm sorry; you must be mistaken," I told her, then added hastily, "But some people say I look like Kaitlyn Maxwell! I don't think so. Imagine! Me, having a father foolish enough to waist all of his fame standing up the government!" I added my late brother's smile.  
  
The woman laughed, and I got the impression that she had once been a cheerleader. "Yes, I suppose you do almost look like Miss Maxwell!"  
  
Then, we both added at the same time "ALMOST!" We both burst into girlish giggles. It paid to have a talent for acting.  
  
"Here's your ticket, miss!" said the blonde, smiling brightly at me.  
  
"Thank you!" I replied politely as possible, taking the elongated slip of glossy paper.  
  
_______________  
  
I glanced at my watch. 10:09:03... :04... :05...... :06.... :07... :08.... :09.... :10... I could barely see the digitalized clock face. The "sun" had "set" a while ago, and the shuttle should have already departed.  
  
Sniffling, I pulled out a silver heart- shaped locket from my shirt. I took it off from around my neck. Slowly, I opened it. Staring back at me from within it were my parents, on the left, and on the right, my dear, dear brother Duo. 'Mother was right,' I thought, lovingly remembering everything about Duo that annoyed me, 'absense makes the heart grow fonder.'  
  
Slowly, but surely, the shuttle lurched forward, and launched into the diamond- filled vacuum that was space.  
  
____________  
  
Tada!!!!! Wasn't that nice?! WASN'T IT?!!!!!?????? Well, I thought it was. And so did my friends, Kelly and Kendra. (Llama girl!... yeah, just don't ask...) Review if you feel like it. This time I might give you all Warheads, if y'all want! DEAR GOD!!!! Did I just say "y'all?" AAACCKKK!! The Maine hick-ness has finally gotten to me! Get it off, Get it off! 


	3. A New Life

Hello, again! Thank you to Katie for being the second person to review. You, the first person who reviewed: I love you too, but sadly I keep forgetting how to spell your name! I'm Sorry!!!!!!! I'm glad that people actually like my story so far! I find it sort of amusing that when I had my first chapter out, one person reviewed. Then, when I got my second chapter out, a second person reviewed... maybe a third person will review this chapter! Or... maybe one of the people who reviewed already can just review again with a different name?... Yeah..... This is the last time I am going to type a disclaimer for this story. I don't own GW!!!!!! Everybody should know by now that the only thing I own is my friend, Becca. That's right, C.B.!!! I own you!!!!! Bwahahaha!!!!!!! :: clears throat:: yeah, don't ask......  
  
Now, what did I want to type? Oh Yeah! The Third Chapter! Enjoy!!!!  
  
Oh, wait! Before I forget! There is a little bit of Spanish spoken in here. So, just so you don't get confused"  
  
Qua? = What?  
  
No Comprende = I don't understand  
  
_________  
  
(On Earth)  
  
  
  
As I stepped onto the terminal, I was greeted by a dozen languages announcing arriving and departing flights. All of this was mixed in with much hub-ub (A/N- for those of you not familiar with this term, it means a lot of confusion and disarray.) People around me dispersed to greet long- lost and much-missed friends and relatives. Only the various business men and I were left with no one to talk to.  
  
Lost amidst the sentimental confusion, I tried to ask anyone where the exit was. I walked up to a tall, thin man in about his mid- twenties wearing a business suit.  
  
"Excuse me," I asked politely, "Where is the exit to the terminal?"  
  
"Qua?" (A/N- Does anyone out there speak Spanish? I think I spelled that wrong.) To my dismay, the man was Spanish.  
  
"Never mind," I said dismally, dismissing the man with a wave of my hand.  
  
"No Comprende!" said the man.  
  
"I...Don't...Speak...Spanish!" I said as clearly as I could. Our "conversation" continued like that for a few minutes until we both eventually gave up in aggravation. I sought out another person.  
  
I saw a young boy, about the age of fifteen, I guessed, standing amidst the crowd as if he were looking for someone. He wore a pair of khakis, a clean white shirt, and a vest that hung casually unbuttoned. (A/N- guess who!)  
  
"Excuse me," I said, walking up to him, "But do you speak English?" It was a strange way to begin a conversation, I know, but I wanted to avoid any awkward events such as the one I had just experienced.  
  
"That I do, miss!" said the youth, his face, entire body even, a polite, warm, welcoming smile.  
  
"Then could you tell me, please how to get out of the terminal? I'm afraid I'm a bit lost," I inquired sheepishly. The boy cheerfully gave me detailed instructions. I thanked him, and bade him goodbye, all the while he never stopped smiling.  
  
Privately wondering how someone could remain the happy and cheerful during times of war, Alexis exited the terminal.  
  
Alexis. That was my name now. Searching for a ladies' restroom, I went ove the alias I had created for my self in my head.  
  
Name: Alexis Genevieve Goodnov  
  
Age: 15  
  
Home: no place in particular  
  
Family: None- parents died in a car crash; so siblings  
  
Pushing the heavy door open, I found an empty stall, put the seat down, and thought. (A/N- She is NOT taking a leak!!!! I repeat: ALEXIS IS NOT GOING POTTY!!!!!!!)  
  
'It might be a good idea to dye my hair... and maybe get it cut.' I thought, twisting my shoulder length chestnut hair. 'I'll get a job, too, maybe as a waitress or cashier. I'll buy a laptop; get web- access, rent out an apartment... yadda yadda yadda. I'll get a pet, too. Fish, maybe, or a hermit crab. Something small. Something that doesn't require a lot of attention.' I would start a new life; turn over a new leaf. I would forget about Kaitlyn Maxwell. She couldn't exist. My, or rather her parents were dead, as was Duo, her beloved brother.  
  
Alexis Goodnov. It had a nice ring to it, a sophisticated sound.  
  
And such my life would be. It would be lade back, though interesting enough, filled with friends, good times, as well as bad times, and just about as normal as you can get (despite the fact that I was only fifteen and about to be living on my own). I would be independent, on my own. But the best part of my life was, in my opinion, the fact that it would be new, completely new. No more private schools, news reports, and oppression. Just a normal life. Oh, how I loved this thought. How I would cherish this lifetime for all eternity. 


	4. Memories

YOU LIKE ME!!!!! YOU REALLY LIKE ME!!!!! I love all of you for reviewing! I know the last chap. was kinda short. Sorry. Does this story make any sense to you people?  
  
Well... I haven't gotten any complaints yet, and do to popular demand (coming from the grand total of three people who have reviewed this story) here be chapter 4!!!!!!  
  
  
  
_______  
  
Six months later  
  
  
  
Dear Log, I scribbled into my journal, while Fireball, my orange kitten, purred contently in my lap. It's been six months since I first came to Earth. I have comfortably established a home for myself in a boardinghouse in downtown. I have made friends, gotten a job, and forgotten about my life on the colonies... well... for the most part, anyway. But my most important accomplishment: I have discovered how to be cheerful during war.  
  
Successfully yours,  
  
Alexis Goodnov  
  
Closing my log, I put it and my green pen on the nightstand beside me. Yawning, I looked at my watch: 10:55:01. (A/N- palindrome!)  
  
"So, Fireball, what do you think?" I asked my cat, "You tired too?"  
  
Mrow-Wow!  
  
Smiling, I scooped her up in my arms and laid her on my bed. Switching on my radio, I began to dress into my night gown.  
  
Midnight,  
  
Not a sound from the pavement  
  
Has the moon lost her memory?  
  
She is smiling alone....  
  
I hated and loved that song at the same time. It was a sad song, a beautifully sad song.  
  
In the lamplight  
  
The withered leaves collect at my feet  
  
And the wind  
  
Begins to moan....  
  
But it reminded me of my past life too much. Remember Duo.  
  
Burnt out ends  
  
Of smokey days,  
  
The stale cold smell of morning....  
  
My dear, dear Duo. Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me?  
  
A street lamp dies,  
  
Another night is over  
  
A new day is dawning....  
  
You left to give the people their smiles back, but in return you took mine away!  
  
Touch me!  
  
It's so easy to leave me  
  
All alone with a memory  
  
Of my days in the sun...  
  
Oh, Duo! How could you leave me?  
  
If you touch me,  
  
You'll understand what happiness is  
  
Look, a new day has begun...  
  
  
  
______  
  
Okay, that's it! Short, I know, but oh well!!!!!! R&R, pleez!!!!!!! Thank you! 


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